The Sheet

Web site: http://members.aol.com/aksailclub | Email: aksailclub@aol.com

Vol. 4, No.4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P.O. Box 92554 Anchorage, Alaska 99509 . . . . . . . . . . . . . September 17, 1999

Robars Win Governor's Cup Race Series

By Paul Willing - Sheet Editor

The Labor Weekend weather was beautiful, winds were good (for Big Lake) and the racing was excellent. Competitors included Ben and Birgitt Robar, Matt Flickenger, Curtis Dunkin, Mark Weissler, Paul Willing and Taylor Willing. Kudos to the Ben and Birgitt, who once again gave us all a lesson in race tactics and boat handling.

Fireworks Extravaganza

By Paul Willing - Sheet Editor

The September 11, 1999 fireworks display from Saddleback Island was spectacular! Hundreds of boats, including two from the club, parked on the lake to view the show. The view from B dock was great and the bonfire onshore made for a fine evening.

Fall Work Party - September 25, 1999

It is sad and a bit depressing but it is time once again to tuck the club site in for its long winter nap. Mark your calendars for Saturday September 25, 1999. We'll start officially at 10:00am and end at 4:00pm with a meeting and elections for the 2000 season. Bring something for a potluck. See you there!

The Sheet

Web site: http://members.aol.com/aksailclub | Email: aksailclub@aol.com

Vol. 4, No.3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P.O. Box 92554 Anchorage, Alaska 99509 . . . . . . . . . . . . . June 25, 1999

Work Party behind, Summer ahead

By Paul Willing - Sheet Editor

Many thanks to participating members of the Spring Work Party - May 22, 1999. New steps for the club house, club house area cleanup and old trailer relocations have certainly improved the view around the site.

Attending members: Curtis Dunkin, Joe Offner, Alan Adrian, Andrew Hampe, Judith Whitear and Peter, Ray DeLey, Paul and Jody Willing, Ben and Birgitt Robar, Bob Boyer and Jeanie, Steve Anastos and Darlitia Carlo. My apologies if I missed anyone that should have been listed.

Bon Voyage to departing members

By Paul Willing - Sheet Editor

Smooth sailing and fair weather to departing members Carol Clouse, Andrew Hampe, Bob Martin and Barb Turner and Bob Boyer.

Harbormaster Bob Boyer has left the club. His mechanical aptitude and onsite monitoring will be sorely missed. Thanks for the years of dedicated service and contributions.

With Bob gone members will need to be more cognizant of maintenance issues for the boats, docks and moorings . If you see a problem fix it, get help or document it so board members are aware. Dock maintenance is a constant process (hinge bolts, chafe protection, anchor lines and bouys, decking, etc). Boat owners with moorings will have to maintain their own anchoring systems and ground tackle.

Welcome New Members!

By Paul Willing - Sheet Editor

Please extend a warm, Alaska Sailing Club welcome to the following new and returning members:

Darlitia Carlo, Butch and Cindy Douthit, Michael Galloway, Steven and Patricia Thompson, Mark and Danette Weissler, Judith Whitear and Associate Member Eldor T. Hulke.

The Forth of July is coming - Potluck and Racing

By Paul Willing - Sheet Editor

Come one, come all to a Forth at Big Lake. A potluck BBQ will be held on the Forth, plus racing for all size boats (Portsmouth Handicap) all weekend. Think Wind!

Chapter 18 - by Mary Wells

Continued from the previous issue of The Sheet, here is the next excerpt of Revival. For our purpose consider catamarans and small sail boats synonymous.

Reprinted By Permission from Catamaran Racing for the 90's - by Rick White and Mary Wells

Copyright © 1992 by Rick White - Published by RAM Press

Available from - Ram Press Bookstore (Affiliated with Amazon.com, this is a well stocked nautical bookstore site) http://www.catsailor.com/ram_press.html

HOW TO PUT MORE FUN INTO SAILING:

Scavenger hunts - The list of things to be brought back will depend on the area you are sailing in. If you are on an inland lake surrounded by houses, your scavenge list can be extensive. If you are on an undeveloped bay, the list will include various types of organic and inorganic things that can be found in that area, like clamshells, seaweed, sand,coral, leaves, driftwood, bird feathers, beach glass, mosquitoes, mangrove roots, discarded tires - whatever people should be able to find. Put a time limit on the search.

Picnic trips - take the whole family and a couple of coolers and sail to an island or another beach across the lake -someplace different have a picnic and sail back. This can also be an informal race each way, if it makes it more fun. But if racing means someone is going to "cheat" by leaving behind any of their beer or food, forget the racing.

"Cruises," maybe even ovenighters, camping on the boats or on the beach.

Have a hull-flying contest - who can keep it the highest the longest. (More great photo opportunities)

Water-ski behind the boats. It definitely can be done, but you need the old-style, wide water-skis.

Have a "drag" race - Every boat has to pull someone behind on an innertube.

You don't always have to sail your sailboat. Get an outboard bracket and a little motor so you can be more versatile - go places difficult to navigate under sail. Get some clamp-on, battery-operated lights and go places at night. Go up a river or through a swamp. I know it is a really revolutionary idea, but you can even leave your mast at home and just take a power cruise if you want to explore a canal or river that has a lot of bridges. Them are lots of adventures out there waiting for people to make them happen. There are places you can go with a sailboat that you can't with a powerboat. Take advantage of that.

HOW TO MORE FUN INTO RACING

Racing does not always have to be serious. There are many things you can do to make races more interesting and fun - even for the people who don't want anything to do with serious racing.

Backward race -This is sort of like a backward drag race. You set up a normal starting line and set a finish line down at the leeward mark. Before the start everybody gets upwind of the starting line, starts the race going backward and backs down to and across the finish line. (Of course, before you do this race, you have a clinic to explain how to go backward and how to go backward faster.) And you don't want to do this race in heavy air.

Anchor start - crews have to swim to the boat from the beach. This can be designed either that your sails are already up or that you have to raise sails after you get out to the boat.

LeMans start off beach and finish back on the beach.

Surprise race - the race starts normally, with a normal triangle, but you have secret instructions inside a balloon that is to be broken open when an audible or visual signal is given at some unknown point during the race. The instructions will tell you where you are to go from wherever you are at that point. They may tell you to turn around and go back the way you came. Or they may tell you to head for the floating bar across the lake. You never know.

Relay race. Divide the fleet into teams of three boats each. One boat from each team will start and race to the weather mark, where the second boats from each team will be waiting. The first team boat hands or tosses a "baton" (or ball or whatever) to the second boat on his team, which will race to the B mark. The third boats of the teams will be waiting there to take the batons and race to the C mark. Meanwhile, the boats that started the race will have sailed down to the C mark and will be waiting to take the batons and race to the finish.

A Columbus race. This is a windward-leeward race (or maybe even just a leeward race), where people are not allowed to tack downwind - they have to go wing and wing, just like in the old days of catamarans and just like most monohulls still do, and certainly like Columbus did to get here.
Based upon the above, just as a learning experience, have a race where half of the boats get to tack downwind and the other half have to go straight downwind, and see what the difference is when you get to the leeward mark. It could be very interesting. Then do it again, with the two groups switching roles.
Reaching race. Set up a two-way course across the wind that will be a LONG beam reach both directions. This will be fun for both the daysailors and the serious racers. On most race courses the reaching leg is very short, and catamaran courses often don't include a reach at all, so this will be a chance to have a really fun speed race.

720 race - the first boat around each mark has to do a 720. Make sure it is a race with lots of mark roundings, to make it more difficult to figure out the strategy so you can still finish first. (No sandbagging allowed. A good way to prevent sandbagging is to threaten the possibility of shortening course.)

Crew race - your crew must be on the helm throughout the race and will give the orders and make the decisions (although they may consult with their former-skipper-now-crew).

Women-only race. Women team up on the boats and race. This is absolutely sex-discrimination - no men allowed. It doesn't matter whether a woman is normally a skipper or a crew - for this race she is qualified. When women race with women and against women, a very interesting thing happens: Those who did not like it may find out they can actually enjoy racing. Because women don't take everything as a life-or death-crisis situation, there is less pressure. And when there is less pressure, you tend to sail better. If you have enough women in your fleet, I this is a great way to get them more excited about sailing.

Long-distance races. Lots of people who are not interested at all in racing around the buoys are crazy about long-distance races. And I think the concept appeals to all of us: Get from point A to point B as fast as you can, the fastest way you can. It's sort of like playing Rugby - hardly any rules. Just go fast and know what reefs or shoals you can get over and which you have to go around.

Have a tacking contest - Starting two boats at a time, see who can do the most tacks in five minutes.

Have 720 contests - see who can do a 720 the fastest.

All of the above, whether fun or informative events or non-serious races, will still be fun for the hard-core racers, but at the same time they are fun for the nonracers and the non-serious racers.

End of this installment. Future topics in the REVIVAL chapter: OTHER THINGS YOU CAN DO -- AND NOT DO, THE IMPORTANCE OF A NEWSLETTER, WHAT YOU CAN DO TO BUILD UP THE RACING, SEMINARS, TO GET NEW PEOPLE INTERESTED IN SAILING, WHEN YOU TAKE SOMEONE FOR A FIRST RIDE, A HOME OF YOUR OWN, THE BORING BUT IMPORTANT BASICS

Hobie Cat Wind

By Paul Willing - Sheet Editor

Sunday June 13, 1999. About 1:00pm I decided it was time to pack it up, pull the boat and return to Anchorage. Luckily I took a break for a snack first. I noticed the leaves start to stir and out on the lake the water began to ripple. Soon a stiff breeze had developed.

Belay previous orders! Time to sail! The family boarded our cat and we were off. The ride proved a little too intense for Taylor, age 6, and he requested (whined) a return to shore. Danette Weissler agreed to watch him so Jody and I could sail. Thanks Danette!

I lost count of the screaming reaches we made, back and forth from the Call of the Wild to the club site. This is what cat sailing is all about. The wires and rudders were singing as we surged ahead on each puff. On one occasion we narrowly avoided a pitch pole as the leeward bow started to act like a submarine and I quickly released main sheet tension. What a howling time!

Late out of Big Lake that evening, late to Anchorage and dog tired and sore at work the next day but well worth it.

Classified Ads

As an experiment ASC will post classifieds ads for sailing items. No charge per ad for now. If you sell it, please make a donation.

Wanted - Laser, Skipjack, or similar sailboat. Call Ray 907-694-3576 or email n7cff@alaska.net

Wanted - small 12' - 14' sailing dingy (FJ?) Cheap, 907-694-2280

Want to Sail - Here for the summer and want to sail! Call Steph 907-892-9187

For Sale - 1994 Hunter 26, $29,990.00, We have had the boat on Big Lake summer of 94-96. It is now in Whittier, (quite a versatile boat:) It made a great Big Lake boat and we are enjoying it out on PWS now, however it is time to upgrade. 907- 373-2648 or email swremele@customcpu.com

For Sale - 26' Balboa Sloop, new 6HP Johnson, new sheets, anchor, chain, rode, head, diesel heater, excellent trailer, $6750 OBO, 907-688-3169. Will sell separate.

For Sale - 18' SolCat catamaran Tequila Sunrise, $2200, 907-745-1995

For Sale - 18' US Yacht, 3HP kicker, rainbow sails, $3500, 907-745-1995

The Sheet

Web site: http://members.aol.com/aksailclub | Email: aksailclub@aol.com

Vol. 4, No.2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P.O. Box 92554 Anchorage, Alaska 99509 . . . . . . . . . . . . . May 5, 1999

Spring is Here! Let's Get Ready to SAIL!

By Paul Willing - Sheet Editor

The ice is gone. A bright sun blazes in a crisp blue sky. The birds are singing. A breeze whispers through the new birch leaves. A sailor's thoughts turn to ...Sailing. This issue is already late to press, so I'll keep it brief and to the point.

The Sailing Class sessions are set for May 12 and May 19, 1999 at Campbell Elementary School from 6:30pm - 8:30pm. The pool session, at Bartlett High School Pool, is May 25th from 8:30pm - 10:00pm. On the water sessions will be held at the Big Lake club site May 29 through May 31, 1999. As always, we need boat owners and skippers to step forward and help out for the on the water sessions.

Spring is Here! Let's Get Ready to WORK!

By Paul Willing - Sheet Editor

If you are a paying member of this club you are obligated to participate in one of the work parties each year. All members, except for associates, charter and juniors, need to be at one of the work parties this year, either the one in the spring or the one in the fall.

In an attempt to increase work party participation, we are experimenting with a voucher plan this season. Basically, you receive a voucher good for a $25.00 discount off the 2000 season membership dues. Dues will be increased $25.00 for the 2000 season. So, if you participate your dues will remain the same. Members unable to attend work parties due to scheduling conflicts can accomplish equivalent work party type chores during the season and receive a voucher.

We do not have any paid employees. To make the club site functional and ready for use we need the mandatory rule in place. It makes it a whole lot easier, on the members who do show up, to have a large work force.

The first work party is the week before the class; the 22nd of May from 10:00am - 4:00pm. It always helps to get a large group to clean and set up the boats.

Revival

Chapter 18 - by Mary Wells

Continued from the previous issue of The Sheet, here is the next excerpt of Revival. For our purpose consider catamarans and small sail boats synonymous.

Reprinted By Permission from Catamaran Racing for the 90's - by Rick White and Mary Wells

Copyright © 1992 by Rick White - Published by RAM Press

Available from - Ram Press Bookstore (Affiliated with Amazon.com, this is a well stocked nautical bookstore site) http://www.catsailor.com/ram_press.html

PROS AND CONS OF RACING:

Racing has been both the catalyst that has helped build catamaran fleets and the nemesis that is helping to destroy them.

What happens is that it starts out with racing being fun, and you get more and more people involved, and soon almost everyone in the fleet starts participating. But then it begins to become less and less fun, because people start getting TOO serious about the racing and racing is the ONLY thing they are doing and the only thing they are interested in.

Skippers become so concerned about winning the season series or becoming "Skipper of the Year" that they lose sight of the reason they got into sailing in the first place, and they forget that not everyone feels the way they do.

You would think every Sunday series of races is a world championship. New members of the group will get disqualified because of minor infractions of fleet rules they don't yet know. Skippers start yelling at their crews (often their spouses) and the spouses rebel. Soon that couple drops out of sailing. And it's no wonder. When it gets down to a choice between sailing or holding your marriage together, there aren't any options.

And just as unfortunate, when people think only in terms of racing, if they aren't doing very well and don't seem to be getting better, they eventually get discouraged and just drop out of sailing altogether.

And that's my point. It doesn't have to be that way. We have to get a perspective on this racing thing before it dies completely.

Certainly, no sport is complete without competition. And it is almost instinctive. If you're sailing a cruising boat to Bimini and you see another boat overtaking you, you're probably going to roust your crew out of the hammock and put up more sail. But when it gets to the point where you or your crew is no longer able to enjoy the adventure of sailing, you're going too far.

Too many people think that racing is the only real purpose for a fleet's existence - and too often that is true. And this attitude can ultimately result in the fleet’s downfall. A well-balanced, well-rounded fleet with activities that appeal to everyone will inevitably be a healthier, stronger fleet. And it will inevitably grow, because of the fundamental fact that people can overcome any obstacles when they really enjoy doing something.

Almost every catamaran fleet sails off beaches where there are other catamarans just "playing." If you ask these people why they don't belong to such-and-such fleet, they will probably say, "Nah, I'm not into racing."

Let's get rid of this "For Racers Only" label.

HOW TO PUT MORE FUN INTO SAILING:

Have a light-air capsize-and-right contest, close to the beach. It isn't easy to capsize a catamaran in light air, it also isn't easy to right it. This could make for great photo opportunities.
When there is wind, have a capsize clinic in shallow water to demonstrate how to right the boat.

NOTE: Things you do close to the beach are fun spectator events for the people who are not sailing.

Choose up sides and have a paintball war - reconstruct the Battle Of Lake Erie (or a pirate battle or any other kind of battle) on catamarans.

Have an annual fleet regatta, open to all catamarans in the area (or state, or country), with races and games and contests and a barbecue/picnic and maybe a parade with the boats decorated as floats. Have activities for everyone, including the children This can be a one-day or two-day event.

On a weekend right before Halloween, have everyone come in costume and have a "pumpkin hunt" on the water. Everybody has to bring two or three small, plastic play balls (about 10 inches in diameter), preferably orange. A boat - preferably a powerboat -takes them out and disperses them on the water. At an audible signal, everybody leaves the beach and starts hunting down the "pumpkins." The person who brings back the most wins a prize - maybe a pumpkin pie. Also, of course, have prizes for the costumes. (The most difficult part of the pumpkin hunt is keeping them on your boat until you get back to the beach.)

Play ball tag. Using marks, lay out a large circle or box on the water that all the boats have to stay inside. One boat is "it"' and has the ball, and they have to try to hit another boat. If the other boat is hit by the ball, they are now "it," and the other boats have to try to avoid them, whiles staying in the confines of the "box". If you go outside the box to avoid the ball, you are automatically "it". I've been told one of the strategies of this game is to throw the ball so that it will bounce off the other boat and they have to retrieve it. If it hits the sail and falls onto their deck, they can pick it up and throw it right back at you.

Have a treasure hunt. Give a clue to the first point. When sailors find that point, they will find a clue to the next point, and so on, until they find the "treasure." The person who brings back the treasure is the winner.

End of this installment. Future topics in the REVIVAL chapter: the conclusion of HOW TO PUT MORE FUN INTO SAILING, HOW TO PUT MORE FUN INTO RACING, OTHER THINGS YOU CAN DO -- AND NOT DO, THE IMPORTANCE OF A NEWSLETTER, WHAT YOU CAN DO TO BUILD UP THE RACING, SEMINARS, TO GET NEW PEOPLE INTERESTED IN SAILING, WHEN YOU TAKE SOMEONE FOR A FIRST RIDE, A HOME OF YOUR OWN, THE BORING BUT IMPORTANT BASICS

The Sheet

Web site: http://members.aol.com/aksailclub | Email: aksailclub@aol.com

Vol. 4, No.1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P.O. Box 92554 Anchorage, Alaska 99509 . . . . . . . . . . . . . February 6, 1999

The Commodore's Long Wind

By Curtis Dunkin - Commodore

Hello fellow sailors and other Alaska Sailing Club Inc. associates. We Alaskans are nearly halfway through our winter season as today, December 21, 1998 marks the winter solstice; also the shortest day of the year (regarding light of course, but not work unfortunately). Our late autumn and first half of the winter season have left us buried under two or more feet of beautiful powder snow. The spectacular beauty of the south-central Alaskan landscapes, sunsets, and sunrises are beyond the restraints of any descriptive art forms. Although the only place to sail in Alaska during the winter months is in the coastal saltwater regions (if you dare); inland communities are not deficient of wind resources by any means.

Wind is what makes sailing a function. Wind is not only the constant factor in the sailor’s equation; it is also what gives our sailboats spirit and life. The surface upon which your vessel moves resembles the friction of life’s tribulations. The bottom line is no matter what the tribulation, test, or adventure in life, the wind is that life force that keeps your heart beating or in this case, keeps your sails full.

What am I getting at? Well, no, actually not a metaphysical healing camp where we roll ourselves up in to a sail and float on the water while meditating (which in and of itself might have potential). What I am talking about is ice sailing. The potential to increase the sailing club’s functionality to year round seasonal recreation! Many of us ski, and many of us sail. When I was in Madison, Wisconsin in November I had the opportunity to meet a group of real ice sailors. They use lightly equipped rigs that employ metal runners and one main sail; coupled with over 200 sq. ft. of sail area, these babies can exceed speeds of 80mph under light 15 knot wind conditions.

Sign me up, I said. It is not unusual for the surfaces of Big Lake to experience 30-40 knot winds during the coldest winter months. I hope by next year to have a prototype built that would be a cross between a snowboard and a windsurfer unit that could perform at 15-20 knot speeds under snowy and drifty Big Lake winter conditions. Reflections in the harbor

Furthermore, speaking of winter fun, it has become of interest to many in the club to conduct a winterfest gathering at the sailing club site on Big Lake. Access is possible either over the surface of the lake or by using the South Big Lake Road. The last weekend in Jan. sounds like the most optimal time for most of those members I have already talked to. I hope that we can all participate in this and warm up some club spirit. Fine ales, food, laughter, and live bluegrass/folk music are now official staple constituents that will be present at all future Alaska Sailing Club, Inc. functions (my one line item strong-arm political move as Commodore of the "Windy Misfits").

I wish all of us safe travel and happiness for a brilliant holiday season, Christmas, and a New Year. I am looking forward to seeing everyone in January and catching up on the "diaper-flying gossip", and exchanging ideas and visions for the club…as well as have an immense amount of snow fun. Anyone with any immediately great bright ideas should come forward and call either myself at (907)745-2526 (leave message), or Joe Offner our Vice Commodore at (907)745-2051. Again, have a brilliant Christmas and New Year season.

Revival

Chapter 18 - by Mary Wells

As promised in the previous issue of The Sheet, here is the first excerpt of Revival:

Reprinted By Permission from Catamaran Racing for the 90's - by Rick White and Mary Wells

Available from - Ram Press Bookstore (Affiliated with Amazon.com, this is a well stocked nautical bookstore site) http://www.catsailor.com/ram_press.html

This is audience participation time - a brainstorming session of sorts - to address a troubling problem that affects the entire sailing community and attempt to come up with some solutions.

Small-boat sailing and racing have been on the decline for the past 30 years. Fleets have been dying out at clubs all over the country. Even catamarans, which gave the sport a shot in the arm in the late '60's, '70's, and early '80's, are feeling the effects now of this decline.

There are a myriad of possible reasons people give for this downswing in general and for catamarans in particular. Among them:

The economy is bad

Small-boat racers are going to larger racing boats

Fleet members leave when they start having children

Older members stop sailing because they feel they are too old

No younger people are joining the ranks

There are too many other activities that compete with sailing for people's leisure time

Even small one-designs are becoming too expensive for many to afford

People with families want a boat they can all day-sail on comfortably or sleep on for short weekend trips

There is not enough class loyalty; and, therefore, fleets are being diluted by the proliferation of catamaran designs

People seem to be more interested in owning the latest, fastest design than in racing in an established, one-design fleet

Young people just out of school are too busy trying to start a career and too poor to afford a boat

The young people who do sail often take the path of least expense by crewing on a big boat

People sell their two-man boats and get a unarig because they can never find crew

People today are lazier than they used to be and they want sports that don't require as much effort as sailing does.

"I’m just too busy."

Discussions of the problem usually go in an endless circle of possible reasons and always come back to the same question: But what can we do about it?

I submit that most of the above-mentioned "reasons" for the decline of one-design sailing are things that were just as true 40 years ago when the sport was at a peak of popularity.

Too old? Bunk. Sailing is one of the few sports you can do until the day you die. Some types of sailboats, including some types of catamarans, are more athletic than others - you just have to pick the right boat.

Too young? Kids can start crewing as soon as they can help pull in a sheet.

Too poor? Sailing is one of the cheapest sports there is. Good, used sailboats are everywhere for bargain basement prices. And if you can't afford a boat, you can easily find a crewing job on one for nothing. Just hang around any fleet, and you'll be able to sail.

You have a wife and small children and your wife doesn’t want to sit on the beach all day while you are sailing. Get a babysitter to come with you to the beach, so your wife can sail with you. Most teenage girls would love to spend a day at the beach, and cheap. Or take turns with another sailing mother. Or find another crew until your children are old enough or until your wife can start crewing again.

My happiest childhood memories are of the weekends I spent at the beach playing in the water and having picnic lunches while my father was out racing. While my sister and I were young, my mother was on the beach with us, along with the wife and children of my father's crew.

Sailing was always a part of my life. And when I was old enough, I began racing with my father. When my sister was old enough, she began racing with my father. Because of this early exposure, we are sailing to this day, at ages 50 and 46, in different parts of the country.

Your spouse doesn't want to be involved at all? That is one of the most important problems and me we hope this chapter will help address.

Too busy? This is not bunk.. If you are too busy to find time for yourself and for recreation, it means you would rather work and don't really want to have fun. It means your work IS your recreation, so you don't need a boat, or golf clubs, or a tennis racquet or anything. If you're happy with your life, so be it.

In the final analysis, if people really WANT to do something badly enough, they will usually find a way to do it. They will surmount any or all of the above obstacles.

So if people are dropping out of sailing, the important thing to realize is that it is not because they CAN'T do it - it's because they don't really want to do it. And the question we really have to be asking is, "WHY don't they want to do it?"

The answer to this is very simple: They're not having fun. So the solution is also simple: We need to put the FUN back into sailing, and we have to provide something for everyone, based upon their reasons for sailing in the first place. Let’s think about what those reasons are.

WHY PEOPLE SAIL:

People get into sailing in general for a variety of reasons:

They have always been attracted to the water and have read books about the romance and appeal of sailing.
They have watched other people sailing and think, "If they can do it, I can, too."
They sailed when they were younger and are returning to the sport
It's something the whole family can do together, as opposed to say, golf or hang-gliding or tennis or racquetball.
They want a boat so they can get out on the water, but they don't like the noise and smell and fuel expense of motorboats.
They are fascinated by the idea of sailing using the wind to go where you want to.
They have been involved competitively in other sports, such as motorcars or car racing, and want to get involved in competition that will be less damaging to their bodies. These people get into sailing specifically with the idea of racing.

This last group is an exception, because most people do not begin sailing with the idea of racing. They begin with the idea of relaxation and fun

People specifically get into catamarans for additional reasons:

Their past experience has been on catamarans and that is all they are familiar with.
They have sailed monohulls, but they want to go faster.
They figure, "If I am going to buy my first sailboat, I might as well buy a fast sailboat, because faster means more fun."
Most catamarans can be launched off a beach, so you don't have the additional expense of launching fees at a ramp or of belonging to a yacht club or sailing club.
Many couples get into cats because they are two-person boats that are ideally suited to male-female teams.
They are interested in physics and technology and want a type of boat that is on the leading edge of those things. They are the engineers and the 'tinkerers.' Because of the speed of catamarans, the effect of small changes is much more dramatic and noticeable - an appeal to the designer/innovator types.

WHY PEOPLE JOIN A FLEET:

Now that we have thought about the reasons why people buy sailboats in general and catamarans in particular, let's talk about why they would think about joining a fleet or club, as opposed to just sailing by themselves.

The reasons for joining a fleet include:

Being able to have fun with a bunch of other boats instead of by yourself.
Wanting to be socially a member of a group of people who have similar interests.
Giving a structure to their recreational plans involving sailing.
Having a healthy, outdoor activity that their whole family can participate in.
Wanting to be able to race.

Note that I have put "racing" at the bottom of the list here, and I will get into that right now .

End of this installment. I hope it was thought provoking and inspiring for all. Ed. Future topics in the REVIVAL chapter: PROS AND CONS OF RACING, HOW TO PUT MORE FUN INTO SAILING, HOW TO PUT MORE FUN INTO RACING, OTHER THINGS YOU CAN DO -- AND NOT DO, THE IMPORTANCE OF A NEWSLETTER, WHAT YOU CAN DO TO BUILD UP THE RACING, SEMINARS, TO GET NEW PEOPLE INTERESTED IN SAILING, WHEN YOU TAKE SOMEONE FOR A FIRST RIDE, A HOME OF YOUR OWN, THE BORING BUT IMPORTANT BASICS

Alaska Sailing Club Winterfest 1999

By Paul Willing - Sheet Editor

The Alaska Sailing Club Winterfest 1999 was held at the club site January 30th. Mean old Mr. Winter failed to cooperate at all and provided temperatures of -16° F, a stiff breeze and chill factor of well ... damn cold. Needless to say, planned outdoor activities were cancelled and re-planned for indoors. With the wood stove roaring and extra heat from some electric heaters we were able to maintain a balmy 25° F inside the clubhouse.

The meeting confirmed the annual spring class format and text book. As usual we need members who will volunteer to help with the on the water portion. An open house is planned to coincide with the Big Lake Regatta (exact dates pending).

Attending members Curtis Dunkin (and friends), Joe Ofner, Ben and Birgitt Robar, Jody Willing, Taylor Willing and myself enjoyed some fantastic food, wine and ale. The live music seemed even better in the adverse conditions and there was dancing (or at least intense shivering).

Off into the sunset Thomas Kiester

Alaska Sailing Club Member Thomas Kiester died November 21, 1999 in Idaho. I had the pleasure to meet Thomas in the summer of 1998 at the club site. Although severely handicapped by his illness, he really seemed to enjoy being by the water and the boats; just like a typical sailor. The club's collective condolences and heart felt sorry go out to his wife, Carol Clouse.

Webcorner

By Paul Willing - Sheet Editor / Webmaster

As the Alaska Sailing Club approaches the next millenium, the club's website is slated for some changes.

Most important: My / the club's Internet Service Provider has allocated an additional 10Mb disk space to the site (5 times current allocation). This will allow incorporation of some enhancements such as club history pages. Club historians, John and Joan McKinnon, have compiled some impressive scrapbooks containing a wealth of information that dates back to the founding of the club. I will scan and post these pages on the web site for all members to see. Past issues of The Sheet will be archived back as far as space permits.